The Washington critic., 1887-10-20
THE ALASKAN QUESTION.


is tAaes.k of the gossips. Secretary
BsJ ard is represented as being ready to
resign unless the President sustains his
views Of the Alaskan fishery rights and
ignores the conflicting views of the
Attorney. General,
AS was to be expected, Secretary
Bayard authorizes an emphatic denial
of these reports.
Secretary Bayard has recently as.
serted that this Government has not,
through Its diplomatic representatives,
asserted Its right to jurisdiction more
than three miles from the Alaskan
shore. He has intimated that he does
not believe that such claim could be
sustained. and that similar claim by
Great Britain as to Canadian waters will
not be conceded.
Secretary Bayard's position being
thus pretty well known, it has also been
seen that Attorney General Garland
takes opposite grounds and has main
tained the right Of the revenue marine
vessels TO make seizures mere than
three miles from the Alaskan shore.
The Presidents only interference
thus far has been to direct the release Of
vessels seized In opposition to Secre.
tary Bayard's views. No matter how
radical the difference of opinion be,
tween the Cabinet officers conflict OF
authority Is not inevitable.
As TO the foreign policy and diplo.
matte claims of the Administration, Mr..
Bayard is supreme unless the President
overrsles him, in which case he would
doubtless resign, but Of which there is
not the slightest prospect. BY virtue OF
his position, he can afford 10 be, and
apparently is, indifferent to the Views
Of the Attorney General but the diff.
ference is not of hostile character,
and thus far II is not apparent to Mr..
Bayard or to the disinterested observer,
that the Secretary of State has provoca-
tion for row or resignation.
THE views of several gentlemen,
whose views are worth knowing, ap.
pear In to days CRITIC relative to the
proposed public hall. There is, of
course, some diversity of opinion as to
how the plan should be carried out.
There are those who believe that an
ornate and costly structure should be
erected by individual subscriptions
outright, and without regard to pecu.
nlary returns, as an inducement TO pub
lie bodies, associations and conven.
lions to hold their meetings here.
Others believe that the enterprise should
be undertaken by a stock company as
an investment and thus popularlzed,
the people generally being invited to
become shareholders. Sill others, In
view Of the Constitutional Cen
tennial and the Celebration OF
1892, and of the great need
that will consequently arise for hall
accommodation believe that the pro.
posed building should be put up by the
General Government and become par,
of the assets of the Permanent Expo
sition. 1t is for the purpose of ascer-
tanning the drift of public sentiment on
this question that the committee of the
Columbia Democratic Club has re
quested the District Commissioner tc
call public meeting of citizens to con
slider the matter, 1t Is project tina
all are interested IN, and all should
have an opportunity of presenting theil
ideas, as o means of arriving at somC
satisfactory plan of action
COMMISSIONER EDGERTON ia not ID
accord with Commissioner Oberly as tC
the position taken by the latter In his
recent letter to the Illinois Democratic
Association. lie is inclined to looh
upon 1t as involving a strained con
s,ructlon of the law. Who shall decide
when such veteran apostles of the
Democratic faith are unable to harmon
ize? Mr.. Edgerton says "the law II
all right, and 1t only needs to be con
strued In accordance with common
sense and practical experience" II
The CRITIc had casting vote In the
case II would state that the law was al
wrong, and by no possibility can be
construed ''in accordance with common
sense and practical experience. The